Friday, September 15th has been designated Concussion Awareness Day in the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board. The activity targets children and youth, a group that is at greatest risk for concussions, says Superintendent of Education Morris Hucal.

“The potential for a concussion is greatest during activities where collisions can occur, such as during physical education class, playground time, or school-based sports,” says Hucal. “However, concussions can happen any time a student’s head comes into contact with a hard object, such as a floor, desk, or another students’ head or body.”

The purpose of Concussion Awareness Day is to educate students and staff about those risks. Led by McMaster University researchers through a Hamilton Community Foundation CHER (Community Health and Education Research) grant, the system-wide campaign is designed to raise awareness about the seriousness of concussions, and provide strategies for concussion prevention and identification for students and staff.

It’s an area that is already being addressed in the Grade 1-8 Health & Physical Education curriculum, and in Hamilton Public Health’s Parent Pathway for Concussion Care. Concussion Awareness Day will delve into the Phys. Ed. concussion learning modules after a morning video presentation by Dr. Mike Evans on “Concussions: What They Are and What They Do.”

“Developing and maintaining a culture of safety within our schools is an important step not only in preventing concussions, but in reducing injuries of all kinds,” says John Madalena, Equal Opportunities Consultant.

“By learning how to manage risks, students develop personal responsibility for their own safety and acquire knowledge and skills that will allow them to enjoy the rewards of healthy, active living in the years to come.”